Ambulance



C. C. BLACKMORE.

AMBULANCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I. 19H.

Patented May 6, 1919. Y

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C; C. BLACKMORE.

AMBULANCE. APPLICATION FILED AUGKZI. |e|5.

1,303,016, Patented May 6,1919.

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C. C. BLACKMORE.

AMBULANCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2L tar-5.

Patent-ed May 6, 1919.. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3* 'llth'iiil sraras PTEHToFrioE.

CHARLES C. BLACKMORE, OF DAYT N, OHIO AMBULANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed August 21, 1915. Serial No. 46,730.

accommodations for four patients lying on stretchers; or two onstretchers and four seated; or eight seated. Another object is toprovide supports for stretcher-s which can quickly be converted intoseats and hacks for the seats. Another object is to facilitate andsimplify the operation of loading and unloading, and to enable twoattendants to do it withthe least possible eliort on their part and withthe minimum of disturbance of the patients; also to permit lodgment orre moval of any patient without moving or in any way disturbing theother patients. Another object is to enable a surgeon inside to haveeasy accessto each patient, Whether lying or sitting.

The following general description will render the detailed descriptionmore easily understood. Openings are arranged at the sides long enoughto admit a stretchersidewise. Supports are provided to carry stretchersinto and out of the ambulance body and the stretchers rest upon thesesupports while in the ambulance. Two forms of support are'provided, oneof them slides in and out, and when out is at such a height that twoattendants can place a stretcher upon it Without being compelled toassume an awkward or difficult position. When placed upon the supportthe stretcher is wholly outside of the body. The support with thestretcher on it is slid into or out of the body with but little eifortand without jarring the patient. The other support is carried onparallel links and when in the body is abovethe sliding support leavingample space to enable an attendant to work on the patient below. Thissupport rocks on the links outward and downward, the links finallycoming to rest on stops, the support then being'at the same height asthe sliding support. Each support may be moved in or out, with orwithout a patient, withoutdisturbing the patient on the other support.

The supports are made in the form of trays and the under surfaces areupholstered. The upper support or tray is pivotally attached to a tiebar which connects the upper ends of the links and may be rocked on thispivot and placed in position to act as the back of a seat. The lowertray has folding legs and may be inverted and stood on the legs to formthe seat. Two supports are .thus convertible into. an upholstered seatcapable of accommodating four or five persons. The sides of the body arehinged at the top and provided with braces enabling them to be held opento different extents. The lower portions of the sides are flexible soasto be rolled up. The trays are providedv with sockets to receive thelegs of the stretcherwhich materially adds to the comfort of thepatients.

In the accompanying drawings, which are as nearly diagrammatic as ispossible,

Figure l is a side elevation of the body of my ambulance, with portionsbroken away. It is to be understood that my invention confined to thebody and that it is not necessary toshowthe running gear.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with the inclosing. portions of the backremoved.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the trays in position to form a seat.

Fig. 4 shows the end of a lower tray, partly in section, withdrawn fromthe body andcarrying a stretcher.

Fig. 5 shows a portion of a lower tray with a stretcher in place.

Fig. 6is a plan of a portion of a lower tray-and one of the bars whichcarry it.

Similar numerals refer to like parts in all of the views. y 7

Referring to Fig. 1' it seen that at each end of the floor 25 there is anarrow pocket 26 to receive the lower ends-of'links 27 and 28. Each link27 is pivoted to the wall of a pocket. Links 28 are secured to theendsof rock shafts 29' (see Fig.1) whereby they are compelled to move inunison. The up per end'oi each link 27 is connected to the upper end ofa link 28 by a tie-bar 30, and the trays are pivotally attached to thesetiebars at 31. The tie bars normally hold the trays level as in Fig. 2where theright hand tray is in normal position, while the left is inposition to receive'a stretcher. the links then resting on blocks 32.The tray 33 is maintained in elevated position by a hook 34 whichengages a pin 35 projecting from the tie bar. To convert the tray into aback it is only necessary to swing itup on edge as in Fig. 3, whichbrings the upholstered side into position for use.

The lower trays, 40, rest upon T bars 4: which are arranged to slide inguides 42 secured to the floor and are kept in place on the bars byplates 43. on the ends ofthe trays confined between pins 4A: projectingfrom the sides of the bars. 7

The trays, which are all alike, are made with angle iron frames 50having sheet metal bottoms 51, below which is the upholstery 52. At eachside of a tray there are sockets 53 to receive the legs 54: of astretcher. The lower trays are provided with the plates 43 beforementioned, and folding legs 55. In Fig. 3 the tray is stand-- ing on thelegs. The sockets 53 serve the double purpose of keeping the stretcherin place on the tray and of holding the canvas bed taut, therebydispensing with mechanism usually attached to the stretcher for thislatter purpose, which interferes with folding the stretcher when not inuse.

I do not wish to be understood to limit my invention to the embodimentherein shown as it is obvious that numerous deviations therefrom arepossible. For example, it is not necessary to provide supports on bothsides of the body. Again, either the sliding or the rocking form ofsupport may be used alone, and the latter form in particular issusceptible of modification to meet particular requirements. By suitablechanges in the position of the stops 32 the support 33 may whenprojected occupy a position below the level of the wheel top. If indoing this the upper end of link 28 approaches so close to link 27 thatthere is a tendency for the inner edge of the tray to drop down thelinks may be connected by toothed sectors and an intermediate gear, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.' 1n Fig. 2 the links are connectedby dotted lines S, representing tension springs by which the weight ofthe tray and links may be counterbalanced. As the manner of applyingthese additions would be readily understood by a mechanic. furtherillustration is deemed unnecessary.

What I claim is'as follows:

1. An ambulance having a tray mounted upon bars which slide in or out ofthe body, said tray being adapted to carry a stretcher, and having legswhereon it may stand to form a seat. l

2. An ambulance having a tray mounted upon bars which slide into or outof the ambulance body, said tray being adapted to carry a stretcherandhaving legs whereon it may stand to form a seat; and another traycarried by links and thereby enabled to move into or out of the body andcarry a stretcher, said tray being so attached to the links as to enableit to be rocked from its stretcher carrying position to a positionsuitable for a seat back.

3. An ambulance having a pair of links attached to the body thereof, atie bar connecting said links, a tray, one side of which is adapted toserve as a support for a stretcher, the opposite side being adapted toserve as a back for a seat; means, including a pivot, whereby the trayis attached to and supported by the tie bar, said means maintaining thetray in a horizontal position, ready to receive a stretcher, butpermitting it to be rocked on said pivot to a position where itsopposite side may be used as a seat back. Y

4. An ambulance having ,two stretcher supports, one above the other,each adapted to be projected therefrom and carry a stretcher in or outwhile the other is occupied by a patient, means for maintaining thesupports in horizontal position while they are moving in and out, andmeans whereby each support is brought to the same level when projected.

5. An ambulance having two stretcher supports, each adapted to beprojected there from and carry a stretcher in or out; and means forconverting one of the supports into a seat and the other into a back forsaid seat.

6. An ambulance having a stretcher sup port arranged to slide in or outof the ambulance, moving transversely with reference to the stretcher itcarries,and' having another stretcher support carried on parallel.links, one end of each link being pivotally attached to the support, theother end being pivoted to the ambulance body insuch position that whenin the ambulance the support is above the sliding support, and whenmoved out of the ambulance assumes a position at the height of, thesliding sup port.

7 An ambulance having a stretcher support arranged to slide transverselywith reference to the stretcher it supports and carry it in or out ofthe ambulance, and having another stretcher support carried on parallellinks, one end ofeach link being pivotally attached to the ambulancebodv and the other end attached to the support, arranged so that byrocking the links the support may be moved into or out of the ambulance,this support and the stretcher carried by it occupying a position whenin theambulance sufiiciently above the sliding support to afford accessto the lower patient.

8. An ambulance having a stretcher support carried on two pairs ofparallel links, one end of each link being pivotally attached to theambulance body and the other end attached to the support, arranged sothat by rocking the links the support may he moved into or out of theambulance, with or without a stretcher thereon; and a cross connectionbetween a link of one pair and a link of the other pair, whereby bothpairs oil? links are compelled to act in unison.

9. An an'ibulnnco having a stretcher support, each end of which iscarried by a pair of parallel links which when the support in normalposition are approximately vertical, said links being pivotally attachedat the top to the support and at the bottom to the body of theambulance, so that when they rock on their lower pivots the support islowered and projected from the body of the ambulance, two of the linksbeing connected by a shaft so that both ends of the support arecompelled to move in unison.

10. An ambulance having a stretcher sup port, each end of which'iscarried by a pair of parallel links which when the support is in normalposition extend upward, said links being pivotally attached at the topto the support and at the bottom to the body of the an'ibulance, so thatwhen they rock on their lower pivots the sunoort is projected from thebodv of the ambulance, two of the links being connected by a shaft sothat both ends of the support are compelled to move in unison, saidshaft being at a different level from the lower pivots of the otherlinks.

CHARLES C. BLACKMORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

